Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual (1998)

Copulatory bouts occur on land and in the water. The presence of the public does not seem to interfere withbreeding activity.Interference with copulation by other group members has occurred. It was reported that two year oldanimals (males and females) housed with the adult pair repeatedly interfered with copulation.Management for breeding and/or parturition: Pair manipulation, i.e. separating pairs before estrus tostimulate breeding is not advised for this species. The general practice is to introduce and leave the pairtogether because the male is believed to play an important role in the successful rearing of the pups.The only environmental manipulation indicated by any of the facilities responding to the survey was theaddition of (more) hay and/or nest boxes when a female was due to give birth. Females have used tunnelsin hay, burlap bags, hollow logs, hollows under logs, and wooden boxes for puping. Some of the moresuccessful nest boxes incorporate an antechamber, which allows the female to stay in the box but notnecessarily with the pups.Manipulating light or temperature cycles is not required. However, due to the more tropical nature of theirnative habitat, many Asian small-clawed otters are housed inside under temperature/light controlledconditions. Whether this has any bearing on the success, or failure of pairs to breed is unclear at this time.Pregnant females are not separated from the group. As mentioned, the male plays an important role in puprearing which includes bringing food to the females, patrolling the area and teaching pups to swim. Somecompetition for the female when the males reached three years of age has occurred. If there is prolongedconflict of this kind, or any other, separation of the rest of the group from the pair may need to beconsidered.Gestation: Gestations of 62 to 86 days have been recorded in North American Zoos. Sobel (1996)recorded a gestation length between 60 and 74 days from his study.Litter size and pup sex ratios: Litter size (mean, range, mode, median and sample size) was 3.5, 1 - 7, 3,3, n=28. The observed pup sex ratio was not statistically (p = 0.05 level) different from an expected 1:1ratio.Inter-birth intervals: An inter-birth interval as short as eight months was observed by Gross and Sobelduring their study. (Gross, 1996)Diet: A pregnant female’s diet may be increased, a lactating female’s diet should be increased 10 to 20%(see Chapter 1, Nutrition and Diet).Parturition: Some females show a nest box or puping location preference and this possibility should betaken into account. If a female’s preference is unknown, nest box and nesting location choices should beoffered. Even with familiar females, choices should be available (nest box, hollow log, holding den, etc.)Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual/Reproduction50